Packaging facility with latching station and method

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a packaging facility and a method for operating a packaging facility to manufacture a folding package, where said folding package is folded using a folding device and is closed using a latching device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This Application claims priority to German Application Number102013204160.8 filed Mar. 11, 2013, to Peter Imhof and Peter Berglerentitled “Packaging Facility with Latching Station and Method,”currently pending, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated hereinby reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention relates to a packaging facility and to a method.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A package container is known from DE 28 27 645 A consisting of twohalves foldably connected to each other. The two halves each compriseflexible closure elements that can engage with each other to press theflanges of the two halves tightly onto each other.

A reclosable package is known from DE 10 2010 050 734 A comprising apackage base member for receiving a product and a lid as a package topmember which are sealed to each other in an air-tight manner The lid andthe package base member receiving the product comprise a reclosuretongue and a tongue receiving structure for being able to manuallyre-close the package after it has been opened.

DE 20 2011 103 391 U shows a multi-folding package with fourcompartments for receiving products and with mechanical closure elementsfor holding together the package after folding it. The folded package onthe side disposed opposite to the closure elements comprises a sectionwhich serves as a support surface for the package, for example, onshelves in a store for particularly attractive product presentation.Manual folding and closing has proven to be disadvantageous.

DE 10 2008 045 025 A shows a thermo-forming packaging machine with afolding device for manufacturing a reclosable double-fold package. Theuse of a label leads both to holding the package after folding as wellas to re-closing after removal of a portion of the product. A drawbackof this is that the package comprises only a receptacle for receivingproducts and a label is required. The labels often have the drawbackthat the adhesive force after opening and reclosing deteriorates,especially when stored in the refrigerator.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

One object of the present invention is to provide a packaging facilityto be able to manufacture a folding package in an automatically foldedand closed manner with several packaging containers and without the useof a label.

The packaging facility according to one embodiment of the inventioncomprises a thermo-forming packaging machine which comprises a formingstation, a loading stretch, a sealing station and a package separationdevice successively arranged in a direction of production. It ischaracterized in that a folding device may be provided in order to folda folding package about a fold line, and in that a latching device (snapfit device) may be downstream of the folding device in the direction ofproduction. The latching device can be configured such that a firstclosure element being provided on a first packaging half of the foldingpackage interacts with a second closure element of a second packaginghalf of the folding package such that the folding package is heldtogether in a folded state. The packaging facility according to oneembodiment enables automated manufacturing of a folding package having aplurality of receptacles, for example, for different products, and whichis folded and closed within the packaging facility after the receptaclesare sealed with a top film. Due to the closure elements being part ofthe film in which the receptacles, also referred to as trays, are formedin the forming station, no additional label is necessary for the foldingpackage to be kept closed in its folded state.

The packaging facility can have an intermittent mode of operation whichis defined by the thermo-forming packaging machine

The latching device can be provided for simultaneous processing ofmultiple folding packages in order to exhibit at least the sameperformance or productivity as the thermo-forming packaging machine

In this, the latching device in one embodiment comprises a latching unitfor pressing ends of the first closure element of the first packagehalf. This pressing operation can later again be performed manually by aperson after an initial opening of the folding package in order to againclose the folding package and to thus preserve the shelf life of theproducts when storing in the refrigerator for a longer time.

The latching unit may comprises at least one pneumatic cylinder forperforming a simple motion between two predeterminable positions in aninexpensive manner

The latching unit in a particular embodiment comprises a latching pinfor each end of the first closure element in order to enter one end ofthe first closure element of the first package half under an associatedend of the second closure element of the second package half, such thata latching process of the ends with each other leads to reclosure of thefolding package.

In one embodiment, the latching device comprises a support for the firstclosure element to assist pressing the ends of the first closure elementagainst the ends of the second closure element.

The support can in a latching position be raised to the first closureelement.

The method according to one embodiment of the invention for operating apackaging facility for manufacturing a reclosable folding packagecomprises the following steps:

-   -   forming trays in a film,    -   placing products into the trays,    -   producing a folding package by sealing a top film onto the trays        along a sealing seam, where two adjacent trays form a first and        a second packaging half and a fold line is provided between the        two packing halves,    -   separating the folding package in a cutting station,    -   folding the folding package in a folding device, and    -   latching a first closure element of the first package half into        a second closure element of the second package half in a        latching device.

One advantage of this method is that automated manufacturing of afolding package is enabled, where the package half comprises multiplereceptacles, for example, for different products, and the package halfis folded and closed within the packaging facility after the receptaclesare sealed with a top film.

In this, latching may be performed by pressing ends of the first closureelement of the first package half against the ends of the second packagehalf so that the ends of the first closure element bear against theopposite side of the ends of the second closure element to keep thefolding package closed. This type of interaction and the respectivedesign of the closure elements allow opening and reclosing without anyaids, such as a label, being required.

The ends of the first closure element can be pressed in the direction ofa support using latching pins, where the support acts as a countersupport against part of the first closure element between its ends.Pressing downwards and bending the ends is thereby enabled to bring themunder the ends of the second closure element. The elasticity of the endsis given in that the film may be a plastic film and the film preferablyhas a thickness of more than 300 μm. This elasticity also provides forholding together the folding package after the latching process.

During the latching process, the support preferably acts upon the firstclosure element simultaneously together with the latching pins.

In one embodiment, the folding package is transferred by a robot fromthe cutting station to a separation belt. By use of a robot, multiplefolding packages can also simultaneously be removed from the cuttingstation, which can be designed as a complete cutting device, anddeposited on the separation belt for further transport to subsequentwork stations. In this, adjacently disposed folding packages can in thethermo-forming packaging machine also be disposed in succession in thetransport direction. This is advantageous especially with a downstreamfolding device, latching device, metal detector and/or weighing device.

Other and further objects of the invention, together with the featuresof novelty appurtenant thereto, will appear in the course of thefollowing description.

DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

In the accompanying drawing, which forms a part of the specification andis to be read in conjunction therewith in which like reference numeralsare used to indicate like or similar parts in the various views:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a packaging facility in accordance withone embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 a is a top perspective view of a folding package in an open statewith a top film sealed thereto in accordance with one embodiment of thepresent invention;

FIG. 2 b is a top perspective view of the folding package of FIG. 2 a ina folded and closed state;

FIG. 2 c is a side view of the folding package of FIG. 2 a with closureelements;

FIG. 3 is a schematic plan view of the package separation device with afolding device and a latching device in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing detail of the packaging facilitywith a folding device and latching device in accordance with oneembodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 a is a side view of the latching device in an open parkingposition in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 b is a side view of the latching device of FIG. 5 a in a latchingposition.

Same components are throughout the figures designated with the samereference numerals.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The invention will now be described with reference to the drawingfigures, in which like reference numerals refer to like partsthroughout. For purposes of clarity in illustrating the characteristicsof the present invention, proportional relationships of the elementshave not necessarily been maintained in the drawing figures.

The following detailed description of the invention references specificembodiments in which the invention can be practiced. The embodiments areintended to describe aspects of the invention in sufficient detail toenable those skilled in the art to practice the invention. Otherembodiments can be utilized and changes can be made without departingfrom the scope of the present invention. The present invention isdefined by the appended claims and the description is, therefore, not tobe taken in a limiting sense and shall not limit the scope ofequivalents to which such claims are entitled.

FIG. 1 shows a packaging facility 1 with a direction of production R anda thermo-forming packaging machine 100 having successive stations. Inthe drawing, the following stations are illustrated starting from theright: a film roll-off device 2 for a film 22, a film stretching station3, a forming station 4 for producing trays 19, a product supply 5, aloading stretch 6, a top film feeder 7, a sealing station 8, a packageseparation device 9 with a robot 10, a cutting station 11, a separationbelt 12, a folding device 13 and a latching device 14, which are notvisibly shown in FIG. 1. The folded and closed folding packages 15 maybe subsequently supplied to a metal detector 16 and a weighing device17.

FIG. 2 a shows a folding package 15 in the open and thus still unfoldedstate after a top film 18 being supplied from the top film feeder 7 intothe sealing station 8 was sealed along a sealing seam 20 to the trays 19filled with products and in the cutting station 11 cut along the outercontour and thereby separated. In the forming station 4, the trays 19can be formed into the film 22 by thermo-forming. The folding package 15comprises a first package half 24 and a second package half 25. Apreferably perforated fold line 23 may be provided between the twopackage halves 24, 25 for folding the two package halves 24, 25approximately congruently onto each other. The first package half 24 onits outer side oriented parallel to the fold line 23 may comprise afirst closure element 26 and similarly, the second package half 25 asecond closure element 27. As illustrated in FIG. 2 a, the closureelements 26, 27 are part of the film 22 and are located in the plane ofa flange formation of the film 22 onto which the top film 18 is sealedwith the sealing seam 20. The interior of the two trays 19 can beevacuated and/or gas-flushed in the sealing station 8 prior to sealingto produce a modified atmosphere, whereby, for example, a long shelflife of the food products can be created. As shown, the first closureelement 26 comprises lateral ends 26 a, 26 b and the second closureelement 27 comprises lateral ends 27 a, 27 b. The top film 18 may beattached with sealing points 40 onto the closure elements 26, 27, inorder to increase attractiveness of the folding package 15.

FIG. 2 b shows the folding package 15 after it has been folded in thefolding device 13 and closed in the latching device 14 in that thelateral ends 26 a, 26 b of the first closure element 26 interact with tothe lateral ends 27 a, 27 b of the second closure element 27 such thatthe end 26 a of the first closure element 26 is disposed below the end27 a of the second closure element 27, and that the second end 26 b ofthe first closure element 26 is disposed beneath the end 27 b of thesecond closure element 27. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 2 b and FIG. 2 c,the above-disposed first package half 24 is held to the below-disposedsecond packaging half 25.

FIG. 2 c in a side view shows how the ends 26 a, 26 b of the firstclosure element 26 are disposed below the ends 27 a, 27 b of the secondclosure element 27 after the latching process. Opening the foldingpackage 15 is thereby possible using only a force exceeding the holdingforce with which bending of the ends 26 a, 26 b and pulling the ends 27a, 27 b along can be performed.

FIG. 3 shows a schematic plan view of the packaging facility 1 from thesealing station 8 to the metal detector 16. The packaging facility 1 mayoperate intermittently, and, for example, as presently shown, fourfolding packages 15 can be processed during one work cycle. A firstfolding package A is denoted by A′ and A″ and a second folding package Bby B′ and B″. Both folding packages A and B can be processed togetherand simultaneously in each station or device up to the cutting station11. In the cutting station 11, the two folding packages A and B may becut out from the films 18 and 22 and transferred by the robot 10 ontothe separation belt 12. The robot 10 may be provided for sorting outfaulty folding packages 15 in that it does not deposit these foldingpackages 15 onto the separation belt 12 during the transfer motion, butdrops them into a container—not shown. During the transport motion ofthe separation belt 12 in the direction of production R, the foldingpackages A, B are by use of the folding device 13 folded such that aportion A″ of folding package A is folded 180° about the fold line 23 sothat both parts A″ and A′ are superimposed.

The closure elements 26, 27—not further shown in FIG. 3—are brought byuse of the latching device 14 into a latching position (closingposition) in which they keep closed the folding package 15, and thefolding package 15 is supplied via the separation belt 12 to the metaldetector 16. The latching device 14 may comprise two latching units 31.

It is conceivable that, in the region of the cutting station 11 or thethermo-forming packaging machine 100, respectively, the four foldingpackages 15 are not aligned transversely in the direction of productionR, but longitudinally The robot 10 would then during transfer from thecutting station 11 onto the separation belt 12 rotate the foldingpackages 15 respectively by 90°.

The folding device 13 and the latching device 14 are explained in moredetail in FIG. 4. As shown, the folding device 13 comprises a firstguide element 28 with which part A″, B″ of the folding packages A, B israised during transport in the direction of production R and foldedover. A second guide member 29 may continue this folding process untilpart A″, B″ bears upon part A′, B′. Two hold-down devices 30 of thelatching device 14 may be provided to ensure that the folding packagesA, B continue to bear onto each other until the folding packages A, Bare themselves closed with the closure elements 26, 27. The latchingdevice 14 can comprise two successively disposed latching units 31 to beable to simultaneously close both folding packages A, B.

FIG. 5 a shows a latching unit 31 of the latching device 14 as a detailin a side view. The latching unit 31 can comprise a support 32 which canbe raised and lowered by a cylinder 33. In addition, the latching unit31 may comprise two latching pins 34 that are jointly attached to acarrier 35. The carrier 36 can be raised and lowered by a cylinder 36.The cylinders 33, 36 can; for example, be embodied as a pneumaticcylinder or an actuator with two adjustment positions. In thisillustration, the support 32 and the latching pins 34 are in a parkedposition. This means that the support 32 is disposed spaced below thelatching elements 26, 27 and the latching pins 34 are disposed spacedabove the closure elements 26, 27.

FIG. 5 b shows the latching unit 31 in a latching position which isassumed by raising the support 32 to the latching element 26 andlowering the latching pins 34 to the ends 26 a, 26 b of the firstclosure element 26 of the upper package half 24. In this, the flexibleends 26 a, 26 b are bent downwardly so far that they are disposed belowthe ends 27 a, 27 b of the second closure element 27 of the lowerpackage half 25 after the latching pins 36 are raised and the ends 26 a,26 b there bear against the ends 27 a, 27 b. The folding packages 15thus closed and secured against accidental opening can be furthertransported thereafter without any further auxiliary devices tosubsequent work stations such as the metal detector 16 or the weighingdevice 17.

In deviation from the illustrated embodiment, for example, the foldingdevice 13 and the latching device 14 can also be disposed outside of thepackage separation 9.

From the foregoing, it will be seen that this invention is one welladapted to attain all the ends and objects hereinabove set forthtogether with other advantages which are obvious and which are inherentto the structure. It will be understood that certain features and subcombinations are of utility and may be employed without reference toother features and sub combinations. This is contemplated by and iswithin the scope of the claims. Since many possible embodiments of theinvention may be made without departing from the scope thereof, it isalso to be understood that all matters herein set forth or shown in theaccompanying drawings are to be interpreted as illustrative and notlimiting.

The constructions and methods described above and illustrated in thedrawings are presented by way of example only and are not intended tolimit the concepts and principles of the present invention. Thus, therehas been shown and described several embodiments of a novel invention.As is evident from the foregoing description, certain aspects of thepresent invention are not limited by the particular details of theexamples illustrated herein, and it is therefore contemplated that othermodifications and applications, or equivalents thereof, will occur tothose skilled in the art. The terms “having” and “including” and similarterms as used in the foregoing specification are used in the sense of“optional” or “may include” and not as “required”. Many changes,modifications, variations and other uses and applications of the presentconstruction will, however, become apparent to those skilled in the artafter considering the specification and the accompanying drawings. Allsuch changes, modifications, variations and other uses and applicationswhich do not depart from the spirit and scope of the invention aredeemed to be covered by the invention which is limited only by theclaims which follow.

What is claimed is:
 1. Packaging facility including a thermo-formingpackaging machine, said packaging facility comprising: a formingstation; a loading stretch; a sealing station; a package separationdevice; a folding device to fold a folding package about a fold line;and a latching device arranged downstream in said direction ofproduction of said folding device, wherein said latching device isconfigured such that a first closure element being provided on a firstpackage half of said folding package can be brought to interact with asecond closure element of a second package half of said folding packagesuch that said folding package is held together in a folded state. 2.Packaging facility according to claim 1, wherein said packaging facilityhas an intermittent mode of operation.
 3. Packaging facility accordingto claim 1, wherein said latching device is configured for simultaneousprocessing of multiple folding packages.
 4. Packaging facility accordingto claim 1, wherein said latching device comprises a latching unit forpressing ends of said first closure element.
 5. Packaging facilityaccording to claim 4, wherein said latching unit comprises at least onepneumatic cylinder.
 6. Packaging facility according to claim 4, whereinsaid latching unit comprises one latching pin for each end of said firstclosure element.
 7. Packaging facility according to claim 1, whereinsaid latching device comprises a support for said first closure element.8. Packaging facility according to claim 7, wherein said support can beraised to a first latching position to said first closure element. 9.Method for operating a packaging facility for manufacturing a reclosablefolding package, said method comprising the following steps: formingtrays in a film; placing products into said trays; producing a foldingpackage by sealing a top film onto said trays along a sealing seam,wherein two adjacent trays form a first and a second package half and afold line is provided between said two package halves; separating saidfolding package in a cutting station; folding said folding package in afolding device; and latching a first closure element of said firstpackage half into a second closure element of the second package half ina latching device.
 10. Method according to claim 9, wherein saidlatching step is performed by pressing ends of said first closureelement of said first package half against ends of said second closureelement of said second package half, so that said ends of said firstclosure element bear against an opposite side of said ends of saidsecond closure element in order to keep said folding package closed. 11.Method according to claim 10, wherein said ends of said first closureelement are pressed by latching pins in the direction of a support,wherein said support acts as a counter support upon a part of said firstclosure element between its ends.
 12. Method according to claim 11,wherein said support together with said latching pins simultaneouslyacts upon said first closure element.
 13. Method according to claim 9,wherein said folding package is transferred by a robot from said cuttingstation to a separation belt.